The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in German application No. 100 63 890.2 of Dec. 21, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.
The invention relates to a divot tool comprising a handle part and a fork part.
Divot tools of this type are used for repairing the turf when clumps of grass (divots) have been knocked out whilst hitting balls during games of golf.
Divot tools, which are also referred to as pitch-repair forks, are known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,627,621, US 4,960,239, US 5,116,046 and US 5,305,999 for example.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a divot tool comprising a handle part and a fork part wherein the fork part is a tuning fork which vibrates at a defined frequency, and wherein the construction of the handle part and the arrangement of the fork part on the handle part are such that the handle part does not substantially affect the frequency of vibration of the fork part.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, a divot tool is adapted as a divot tuning fork. The tuning fork vibrates at a defined frequency, in particular, at the frequency of a fundamental note, and the frequency of vibration itself is not affected by the handle part. The divot tuning fork in accordance with the invention can thereby carry out all of the functions which a divot tool can execute, i.e. especially the repair of the turf by replacement of the divots.
In order to obtain a defined frequency of vibration, it is expedient if the fork part is constructed in one-piece form. The fork part is then dimensioned such that it will exhibit the desired resonant frequency. This one frequency is substantially unaffected by the handle part.
In order to obtain a defined frequency of vibration and in order to produce a vibration whose amplitude decays as slowly as possible, it is especially advantageous if the fork part is made from a metallic material. One possible material is brass for example.
In order to have as little affect upon the vibration of the fork part as possible, it is advantageous if the handle part is made from a non-metallic material. Possible materials are synthetic materials such as wood cement. However, natural wood could also come into question.
In order to construct the fork part in the form of a tuning fork, it is advantageous for the fork part to comprise a first fork prong and a second fork prong which are connected by means of a fork arch. The Eigen frequency of such a structure can be calculated in a simple matter and the frequency can be set in a defined manner by suitable shaping.
Basically, the fork part may be made from a round wire. It is expedient, if the fork part comprises opposite flat surfaces. For equal masses of the fork part, this thereby makes it possible, in particular, for the fork prongs to be widened and for the fork part itself to be shortened (the resonant frequency is a function of the mass) so as to keep the linear extent of the divot tool low. Broad fork prongs are advantageous in regard to the employment thereof as a divot tool i.e. for sticking and digging it into the turf or into a clump of grass. It is especially advantageous, if the width of a fork prong amounts to at least three millimeters.
In order to retain the fork part on the handle part on the one hand, and in order to keep the effect of the handle part on the Eigen frequencies of the fork part as small as possible on the other, it is advantageous that an attachment part for the handle part be arranged on the fork part. The attachment part then serves for mounting the handle part and, by appropriate design of the attachment part, such as the connection thereof to the fork part via a bridge, the effect of the handle part can be minimized.
For example, the attachment part may be arranged at a vertex of a fork arch of the fork part. It is thereby ensured that the effect of the handle part on the Eigen frequencies of the fork part is minimized (and, because of the symmetry of the fork part, this effect equally applies to the fork prongs which are the essential vibrating elements).
In one embodiment, the attachment part is arranged between the fork prongs of the fork part. An especially compact and aesthetically beautiful design for the divot tuning fork can thereby be achieved since the attachment part can be hidden.
However provision may also be made for the attachment part to be arranged outside an intermediary space between the fork prongs of the fork part. This is particularly advantageous when the frequency should be set such that a greater mass will vibrate.
It is expedient if the handle part is clamped to the attachment part. This thereby caters for an adequate fixture between the handle part and the attachment part whereby the contact surfaces between the handle part and the fork part are adapted to be minimized.
In one variant of an embodiment, the attachment part comprises an accomodation like a recess for one or more engaging elements which are arranged on the handle part. A clamp-like retention of the fork part on the handle part can be implemented in this manner. It is especially very advantageous if one engaging element of the handle part is a bar-like member. The contact surface between the fork part and the handle part can thereby again be minimized; basically, the larger the contact surface, the greater the damping effect of the handle part on the vibrations of the fork part could then be.
Furthermore, it is expedient if a bar-like engaging element is arranged substantially parallel to a tangent to the vertex of the fork part so as to enable a shaping of the fork part which is such that it will vibrate at a defined frequency on the one hand, and to cater for an adequate fixture on the other.
In order to minimize the effect of the handle part on the Eigen vibration of the fork part and especially in order to minimize the damping effect of the handle part, it is particularly advantageous if, in regard to the fork prongs, the fork part is held freely on the handle part. Contact between the vibrating fork prongs and the handle part is thereby generally prevented; such contact would lead to a damping of the vibrations. Moreover, if the contact surfaces are rigid then this can produce a substantial change in the frequency of vibration.
In order to ensure freedom between the fork part and the handle part, it is particularly advantageous if an adhesive layer is provided between the fork part and the handle part. The material of the adhesive layer should then be selected such that the transfer of vibrations (and thus the damping of the vibrations) between the fork part and the handle part will be minimized but, on the other hand, that the Eigen vibrations of the fork part will be disturbed as little as possible by the adhesive layer.
In one embodiment, the handle part is constructed in two sections, having one handle element and a second handle element between which the fork part is arranged. From a design point of view, an appealing divot tuning fork can thereby be constructed in a simple manner, one which is compact and which can be manufactured (and assembled) in a simple manner. The handle part, which may be manufactured by an injection molding process for example, can then be produced with the desired shape.
It is expedient if the first handle element comprises a plurality of spaced engaging elements so as to produce a mounting arrangement for fixing it on the fork part. Furthermore, it is expedient if the second handle element comprises one or more engaging elements which are adapted to be positioned in the intermediary space between the engaging elements of the first handle element. On the one hand, the contact surface with the fork part is thereby minimized, whilst, on the other hand, provision is made for adequate retention especially as the two handle elements are also fixed to one another.
In another advantageous variant of an embodiment, the handle part comprises a recessed insert area for a marker. Such markers may carry logos of a golf course for example. By virtue of this insert area, the divot tuning fork in accordance with the invention could then be used as a promotional article, whereby the manufacture thereof is economical since a special xe2x80x9cprintingxe2x80x9d can be effected simply by inserting a marker. Such a marker can also be used as a ball marker on a golf course insofar as it is extractable from the insert area.
To this end, it is expedient if the insert area comprises a depression which is constructed in such a manner that an inserted marker is tiltable with respect to the depression for the purposes of removing it. Especially in that case where the marker is matched relatively precisely to the dimensions of the insert area, it can be difficult to remove it again. By virtue of the depression, it is sufficient to exert a light pressure and thereby tip the marker into the depression whereby it can easily be extracted. This then also enables such a marker to be employed as a ball marker.
In one variant of an embodiment, the insert area is provided with a magnet for holding the marker magnetically. In an alternative embodiment, the marker is held in the insert area by means of a clamping force. Any form of marker can thereby be fixed, especially markers made from a non-magnetic material.
In order to ensure proper retention and easy removeability of the marker when it is retained in the insert area by means of a clamping force, it is advantageous if a snap action connector is arranged on the handle part for holding the marker. By virtue of the snap-in behavior of the snap action connector, it is automatically ensured that the marker will be properly retained and, by virtue of this construction in the form of a snap action connector, this connector can also be opened in order to enable the marker to be extracted.
In one advantageous variant of an embodiment, a support saddle is arranged on the handle part at the end thereof remote from the fork prongs. When the fork prongs of the divot tuning fork in accordance with the invention are stuck into the ground, this support saddle will then enable the grip of a golf club to be placed upon the support saddle. This club grip will thereby be spaced from the possibly damp ground and will remain dry. The support saddle can also be used as a place for resting a cigarette for example.
If a club grip is placed on the support saddle, then the picking up of the club is simplified since the club grip is resting on the ground. For such a use, it is especially advantageous if the support saddle is spaced from the handle part by one or more leg elements. The longer the leg elements, the easier it is to pick up the club again.
Moreover, the support saddle may be constructed such that it is in the form of a clip (a belt clip for example).
In accordance with the invention, provision is especially made for the resonant frequency of the fork part to be a fundamental note, for example 136 Hz or a multiple thereof. The resonant frequency of the fork part may also correspond to concert pitch xe2x80x9caxe2x80x9d (440 Hz). The divot tool is thereby in the form of a divot tuning fork having a defined tuning frequency.
The following description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the drawing will serve for a more detailed explanation of the invention.